Characteristics and Short-Term Outcomes of Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism Requiring Intubation

Patients with severe pulmonary embolism (PE) may experience hemodynamic instability with intubation and mechanical ventilation. However, the characteristics and outcomes of intubated PE patients have not been previously described in the literature.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients requiring activation of our hospital's Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) from 2012 to 2021 who were intubated within 24 h of their acute PE diagnosis. Our primary outcome was peri-intubation hemodynamic instability and death occurring within 30 min. Our secondary outcome was peri-intubation hemodynamic instability and death within 3 h of intubation.

We included 51 patients. Within 30 min of intubation, seven (14%) patients had a new or increased vasopressor requirement, four (8%) suffered cardiac arrest, and 1 (2%) required ECMO. Within 3 h, 26 (51%) patients had a new or increased vasopressor requirement, six (12%) suffered cardiac arrest, and five (10%) required ECMO. Patients with a central PE (n = 29, 57%) were more likely to experience peri-intubation hemodynamic instability (OR 3.4, 95% CI [0.95, 13], p = 0.048). Patients who had right ventricular strain on CT (OR 3.7, 95% CI [1.01, 15], p = 0.043) or echocardiogram (OR 8.0, 95% CI [1.9, 42], p = 0.0014) were also more likely to experience hemodynamic instability.

Peri-intubation hemodynamic deterioration occurs in more than half of patients with acute PE, and severe events, like cardiac arrest, are common. Physicians should be cautious when intubating PE patients. Further research is needed to identify optimal strategies to treat PE patients who require intubation.